Midwest rivers crest, but rain forecast

Updated 8:57 pm, Sunday, April 21, 2013

Joe Biggerstaff wades through water in his mother's home north of downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., on the Grand River, which was rising to a record high.

Joe Biggerstaff wades through water in his mother's home north of downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., on the Grand River, which was rising to a record high.

Photo: Chris Clark, Associated Press

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The Pearl Street bridge is jammed with cars as crowds check out the level of the Grand River.

The Pearl Street bridge is jammed with cars as crowds check out the level of the Grand River.

Photo: Cory Morse, Associated Press

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Becky Tee of Oquawka, Ill. holds two kittens she found floating on a log in a flooded area Sunday April 21, 2013 in Oquawka, Ill. Oquawka city officials started receiving calls at 7:15 a.m. that the levee had broken, leaving three homes under water. (AP Photo/The Hawk Eye, Brenna Norman) less

Becky Tee of Oquawka, Ill. holds two kittens she found floating on a log in a flooded area Sunday April 21, 2013 in Oquawka, Ill. Oquawka city officials started receiving calls at 7:15 a.m. that the levee had ... more

Photo: Brenna Norman, Associated Press

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Members of the Missouri National Guard stands atop a sandbag levee holding back floodwater from the Mississippi River Sunday, April 21, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Many have come to the aid of the tiny community, working since Wednesday to build a makeshift sandbag levee that seemed to be holding as the crest, expected to be 11 feet above flood stage, approaches. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) less

Members of the Missouri National Guard stands atop a sandbag levee holding back floodwater from the Mississippi River Sunday, April 21, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Many have come to the aid of the tiny community, ... more

Photo: Jeff Roberson, Associated Press

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Members of the Missouri Nationals Guard and others work to shore up a temporary levee in an effort to hold back the swollen Mississippi River Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Communities along the Mississippi River and other rain-engorged waterways are waging feverish bids to hold back floodwaters that may soon approach record levels. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) less

Members of the Missouri Nationals Guard and others work to shore up a temporary levee in an effort to hold back the swollen Mississippi River Saturday, April 20, 2013, in Clarksville, Mo. Communities along the ... more

Photo: Jeff Roberson, Associated Press

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Ethan Rube, 2, plays in the flood water Sunday April 21, 2013 near the Port of Burlington in Burlington, Iowa. The river is expected to crest Sunday evening or early Monday morning in the Burlington area. (AP Photo/The Hawk Eye, Brenna Norman) less

Ethan Rube, 2, plays in the flood water Sunday April 21, 2013 near the Port of Burlington in Burlington, Iowa. The river is expected to crest Sunday evening or early Monday morning in the Burlington area. (AP ... more

Photo: Brenna Norman, Associated Press

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Friends and family gather items and check on the submerged home of of Sandra Olson Sunday April 21, 2013 in Oquawka, Ill. City officials started receiving calls at 7:15 a.m. that the levee had broken, leaving three homes under water. (AP Photo/The Hawk Eye, Brenna Norman) less

Friends and family gather items and check on the submerged home of of Sandra Olson Sunday April 21, 2013 in Oquawka, Ill. City officials started receiving calls at 7:15 a.m. that the levee had broken, leaving ... more

Photo: Brenna Norman, Associated Press

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Chad Keedy and stepdaughter Jordan DeBolt, 15, of Chillicothe, Ill., paddle through flood waters in their neighborhood along Oak Lawn Street in Chiilicothe, Ill., on Saturday, April 20, 2013, as the Illinois River rises due to heavy rains earlier in the week. (AP Photo/Peoria Journal Star, Ron Johnson) less

Chad Keedy and stepdaughter Jordan DeBolt, 15, of Chillicothe, Ill., paddle through flood waters in their neighborhood along Oak Lawn Street in Chiilicothe, Ill., on Saturday, April 20, 2013, as the Illinois ... more

Photo: Ron Johnson, Associated Press

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Pool players in the Montezuma Fish and Game Club don't let the inconvenience of the rising Wabash River stop their game in Montezuma, Ind., Sunday, April 21, 2013. They used a pump to remove river water from under the building. (AP Photo/The Tribune-Star, Bob Poynter) less

Pool players in the Montezuma Fish and Game Club don't let the inconvenience of the rising Wabash River stop their game in Montezuma, Ind., Sunday, April 21, 2013. They used a pump to remove river water from ... more

Photo: Bob Poynter, Associated Press

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Volunteer Phil Rosborough checks the sump pumps around Gurnee Community Church after the building was surrounded by flooding from the Des Plaines River Sunday, April 21, 2013. "We are keeping the inside dry," said Rosborough. "It is all hands on deck. The downtown area of Gurnee was closed due to flooding. (AP Photo/Daily Herald, Gilbert R. Boucher II) MANDATORY CREDIT; MAGS OUT; TV OUT less

Volunteer Phil Rosborough checks the sump pumps around Gurnee Community Church after the building was surrounded by flooding from the Des Plaines River Sunday, April 21, 2013. "We are keeping the inside dry," ... more

Photo: Gilbert R. Boucher II, Associated Press

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Spectators watch as a kayaker ducks underneath the blue bridge on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., Sunday, April 21, 2013. The rising Grand River has driven hundreds of people from their homes in several western Michigan communities and was pushing Sunday toward a record high near Grand Rapids. (AP Photo/MLive.com, Sally Finneran) less

Spectators watch as a kayaker ducks underneath the blue bridge on the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., Sunday, April 21, 2013. The rising Grand River has driven hundreds of people from their homes ... more

Photo: Sally Finneran, Associated Press

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Joe Biggerstaff wades away from his mother's Konkle Drive home on the Grand River north of downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., Sunday, April 21, 2013. The rising Grand River has driven hundreds of people from their homes in several western Michigan communities and was pushing Sunday toward a record high near Grand Rapids. (AP Photo/MLive.com, Chris Clark)

Joe Biggerstaff wades away from his mother's Konkle Drive home on the Grand River north of downtown Grand Rapids, Mich., Sunday, April 21, 2013. The rising Grand River has driven hundreds of people from their

Clarksville, Mo. -- Those fighting floods in several communities along the Mississippi River were mostly successful Sunday despite the onslaught of water, but an ominous forecast and the growing accumulation of snow in the upper Midwest tempered any feelings of victory.

The surging Mississippi was at or near crest at several places from the Quad Cities south to near St. Louis - some reaching 10-12 feet above flood stage. Problems were plentiful: three deaths blamed on the flooding; hundreds of thousands of acres of swamped farmland as planting season approaches; and roads and bridges closed, including sections of major highways.

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The Coast Guard said 114 barges broke loose near St. Louis on Saturday night, and four hit the Jefferson Barracks Bridge in St. Louis County. The bridge was closed about six hours for inspection but reopened around 8 a.m. Sunday. Most of the runaway barges were corralled but at least 10 sank and two others were unaccounted for, Coast Guard Lt. Colin Fogarty said.

Two of the confirmed flood-related deaths occurred near the same spot in Indiana; another was in Missouri. In all three cases, vehicles were swept off the road in flash floods. High water could be responsible for two more, both in Illinois, where a decomposed body was found Thursday in an Oak Brook creek and a body was found Saturday in the Mississippi River at Cora. Investigations continue.

And the danger is far from over, as points south of St. Louis aren't expected to crest until late this week. Significant flooding is possible in places like Ste. Genevieve, Mo., Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Cairo, Ill.

Adding to concern is a forecast that calls for heavy rain Monday night and Tuesday throughout much of the Midwest. National Weather Service meteorologist Julie Phillipson said an inch of rain is likely in many places, possibly more.

"That's not what we want to see when we have this kind of flooding, that's for sure," Phillipson said.

Anxiety also looms regarding the heavy snow the northern Midwest has received this month and what happens when it melts and makes its way into tributaries of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Forecasters said up to 6 inches of new snow was possible in the Black Hills area of South Dakota through Monday morning.

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